Posts Tagged Migraine Headache
How Weather Can Affect Your Migraine Headache
Anyone who suffers from migraine headaches probably knows that there are certain triggers that may bring one on. Eating chocolate, drinking wine and even stress have been found to increase the incidence of migraine in many suffers. But one trigger that many people may not know about and have little control over is the weather.
Migraine headaches are extremely painful headaches which result from changes in the blood vessels of the brain and can be severely debilitating including other symptoms such as sensitivity to sound and light, nausea and vomiting. More common in women, about 18% of them suffer from this while only 7% of men are affected. Sometimes migraines sufferers also reports seeing auras or smelling strange smells.
While these unfortunate few have probably learned to avoid their triggers, one thing that most likely cannot be avoided is a change in weather. But a study done by the New England Center for Headache found that over 50% of the migraine sufferers they tracked did have a weather trigger associated with their headaches.
Of the 77 participants in the study, 51% were found to have had their migraines triggered by weather conditions such as changing atmospheric pressure, or extremes In temperature. These people were tracked from two months to two years and the Incidence of migraine was correlated with weather data taken from the National Weather Service.
It’s not well understood why weather effects headaches like this but migraine sufferers do so due to dilated blood vessels as well as inflammation of the meninges of the brain and perhaps weather patterns trigger these. Anyone suffering from migraines might find it interesting to keep a calendar of when they get a headache and correlate that with what the weather was on that day. Much like people who say they can predict rain by the pain in their knees or other joints, migraine sufferers may be able to predict the onset of a headache through the weather forecast.
While there is really no way to avoid changes in weather, determining if your migraines are triggered by whether might be able to help you figure out when one might come on. If you know about the weather conditions in advance, and you may be able to take preventative medicine to avoid the headache altogether. this would require some tracking and due diligence on the part of the headache sufferer but could be well worth it in the long run.
Anyone who suffers from migraines know how they can interrupt your schedule and put a damper on your life. So having all the tools that you can to help fight and avoid them make sense. While tracking the Incidence of migraine headaches with the weather conditions might be a bit tedious, if it helps to avoid a few headaches over the course of the year and it could be well worth the effort.
Tags: Blood, Blood Vessel, Blood Vessels, Brain, Headache, Headaches, Migrain, Migraine, Migraine Headache, Migraine Headaches, Migraine Sufferers, Migraines, National Weather, The Weather, Weather, Weather Conditions, Weather Data, Weather Forecast, Weather ServiceRelated posts
How to Relieve Headache & Migraine Pain While Pregnant
Pregnancy is three trimesters on a big hormonal roller coaster. For some women, these changes in hormones can bring blessed relief from migraines, especially in the second and third trimester. But for others, the hormonal fluctuations of pregnancy can be the trigger that causes migraines. So what’s a woman to do to find headache relief pregnant? Is there help? Yes! You have a range of options. But before trying any of them, see your doctor to discuss which option is right for you and your baby. Also, if your migraine headache is accompanied by fever, blurred vision, lasts for hours or returns often, see your physician immediately.
The first and easiest thing you can do to prevent a migraine headache while pregnant is to avoid migraine triggers. The most common triggers are caffeine, chocolate, foods containing monosodium glutamate, cheeses and processed meats. A healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy is achievable even when avoiding these foods. If chocolate is a mandatory food group in your pregnancy, you can give yourself a chocolate trial to see if it is the culprit. If it isn’t…INDULGE!
The second thing you can do is RELAX! Slow down for a few minutes every day and take a break from the pressures of your life. Lying down in a quiet room and deep breathing can do wonders to bring stress levels down. If this is your first pregnancy, take advantage of this time while you don’t have other children to care for…let others do for you, and say YES to all offers of help.
Regular exercise has been proven effective in migraine relief. Exercise is not only an excellent tension reducer, but it also increases blood circulation and oxygenation in the body, helps rid your body of toxins, helps you sleep better and boosts endomorphins, your body’s natural pain fighters, among other things. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise daily can go a long way towards long term relief from migraine pain. Do it all in one shot, or break it up into smaller 10 minute segments, whichever works best for your schedule.
Many alternative or natural options can offer migraine headache relief pregnant. There are a number of medicine free options that can be very effective in relieving migraine pain. Massage and/or aroma-therapy are two great medication-free options. Essential oils including lavender, sandalwood and peppermint are an especially effective headache cure and can be diluted in water (5 drops in a basin of water) and applied on a compress to the neck, or used in a massage oil. Massage to the feet or the web of skin between the thumb and first finger are effective pressure points for headache pain relief.
Alternating hot and cold compresses relieves migraine pain in many women. For some, plunging ones hands into a basin of hot water is helpful. Others find relief from a cloth-wrapped ice pack placed directly on the site of the pain, or to the back of the neck. Hot packs placed on the stomach or back can also divert blood flow from the head and offer relief.
If you still are fighting migraine headache pain after trying the methods mentioned above, check with your doctor, as there are herbs and medications that can be taken safely during pregnancy. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the most commonly recommended pain reliever during pregnancy. It is available over the counter and is considered safe to take while pregnant. Never take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve) or aspirin without permission from your doctor. These medications are part of the NSAID class and are to be avoided during pregnancy without a doctor’s supervision. At this point there are no preventative migraine medications classified in the lowest risk category for pregnancy. Depending on the severity of your migraines and the impact on your quality of life, however, the benefits of many of these medications may outweigh the risks. Certain narcotics and some preventative drugs such as beta-blockers and anti-depressants can be used during pregnancy under a doctor’s supervision. This is a decision that only you and your doctor can make together based on your own personal risk-benefit ratio.
There are many herbal supplements than have been shown to be safe and effective for preventing, treating or reducing migraine pain. The most common herbs for migraines are peppermint, feverfew, passion flower, gingko, cayenne and butterbur. Like with prescription medication, check with your physician about the safety of using any of these supplements during pregnancy. Being an herb does not automatically guarantee it is safe to take while pregnant. Many of these herbs have strong medicinal qualities and need to be cleared before taking while pregnant.
So what’s the best way to achieve headache relief pregnant? As you can see, there are many remedies and treatment options you can try if you are experiencing migraines or severe headaches while pregnant. Feel free to experiment with food changes or any of the home remedies recommended above on your own, but consult your doctor before trying any medications or herbal treatments. With a little experimentation and luck, you will find the perfect combination of methods to relieve your migraine pain while pregnant and hopefully pamper yourself a little in the process!
Tags: Balanced Diet, Blood, Causes Migraines, Clot, Diet, Exercise, Feverfew, Headache, Headache Pain, Headache Pain Relief, Headache Relief, Headaches, Health, Healthy, Migrain, Migraine, Migraine Headache, Migraine Headache Relief, Migraine Medication, Migraine Medications, Migraine Pain, Migraine Relief, Migraine Trigger, Migraines, Pain Relief, Severe Headaches, Skin, Supplements, TherapyRelated posts